Lathyrus odoratus - Plant Finder Plant Finder Tried and Trouble-free Recommended by 2 Professionals Common Name: sweet pea Native Range: Crete, Italy, Sicily Zone: 2 to 11 Height: 3.00 to 8.00 feet Spread: 2.00 to 3.00 feet Bloom Time: May to July Bloom Description: Cultivars in all colors except yellow Sun: Full sun Garden locations Culture Cool weather annual that is best grown in rich, humusy, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Tolerates some light shade. Compost may be incorporated into the growing area prior to planting. Best performance occurs in cool soils (soil mulch helps) in cool summer climates with good air circulation. Sweet pea can be a challenge to grow well in hot and humid summers where, as temperatures rise, plants will decline rapidly to the point where removal from the garden becomes necessary. Provide even moisture and regular fertilizer throughout the growing season. Avoid overhead watering to the extent possible. In St. Louis, start seed indoors about 6-8 weeks prior to last spring frost date to maximize bloom time.

In warm winter areas, seed may be sown in fall or late fall for winter and spring bloom. Avoid planting sweet peas in the same location in consecutive years. Plants may be grown in bushy mounds or as climbers. Climbers need a support structure on which to grow (e.g., trellis net, fence, strings, stakes or bamboo pyramid). Deadhead spent flowers to prolong bloom. Propagate by seed. Noteworthy Characteristics Lathyrus odoratus, commonly called sweet pea, is a bushy or climbing annual that features highly fragrant flowers (odoratus meaning fragrant) on winged stems clad with medium to dark green leaflets in pairs. Stems end in tendrils which enable plants to climb. As a vine, it will climb to 6-8’ in a single season. Without support, it grows in a bushy mound to 2.5’ tall. Fragrant keeled flowers bloom in clusters. In St. Louis, flowers will bloom well from spring to early summer before succumbing to hot temperatures. Further north in cool weather summers, bloom will continue throughout summer to fall.

Species plants feature purple flowers, but numerous cultivars now provide a large variety of additional flower colors (pink, red, blue, lavender, purple, white and bicolor). Cultivars come in large, intermediate and dwarf sizes. Genus name comes from the Greek word lathyros for pea or pulse. Specific epithet means fragrant. Problems No serious insect or disease problems Slugs and snails are attracted to young plants. Aphids may appear. Unlike edible vegetable peas (see Pisum sativum), sweet pea fruits are inedible and poisonous to humans. Garden Uses Sweet Pea Lathyrus odoratus On Jun 18, 2015, IlhadoPico from Sao Roque do Pico, Portugal (Zone 11) wrote: Beware! Not a single BEWARE! message?! What is wrong with you sheeple? You are not aware of chemtrails yet you call this average poisonous vegetable a Sweet Pea? Are you retarded?! I ate a bunch of these from my garden that looked so edible and since I was told it is a Sweet Pea. Just barely survived the poisoning it was that bad. Idiots!

It's like calling a poisonous mushroom a Sweet Goodness! Fucking eugenicists! Positive On Aug 28, 2010, MMinLA from Shreveport, LA wrote: Last fall I ordered seed from Renees Garden and had good success. However is gets hot so quickly in my area I did not to enjoy the flowers for very long. Can anyone recommend a heat tollerent variety? I have tried Painted Lady, Perfume Delight and Velvet Elegance. Positive On Aug 12, 2010, Marilea777 from La Grande, OR (Zone 4b) wrote: This spring in NE Oregon was the wettest on record. I had started my Sweet Peas in the greenhouse. Because of muddy conditions I postpones planting outside. When I did finally have planting conditions, I decided to plant closer together to make up for the questionable outcome. Well, the plants survived and flourished after many cold nights and more rain. They survived so well that the flowers were smaller than I had hoped. Oh my, were there a lot of flowers! (even if they were small.) Next year I will adhere to the recommended spacing.

The blossoms faithfully came through with their unique fragrance and I love every one of them. Neutral On May 10, 2010, Yooper1 from Atlantic Mine, MI wrote: Sweet peas grow like crazy in my yard. They're nice, because the bloom after everything else is done, and bloom for a long period of time. The thing I don't like about them is they're non edible, however, I'm sure I've eaten some when I was a kid, and my dad said he remembers eating "wild" peas when he was younger too. Also, they're a pain because they keep trying to climb my raspberry plants, and some of my other trees. Seems like every few days I have to go and try to pull the things out of the ground because they pop up like crazy. Positive On Jul 18, 2009, mjab17 from North Billerica, MA wrote: For a few years I've been trying to grow this plant with little luck.... finally this year i started with better seed from a better dealer and started a small tripod and a row a long a little fence. Now the ones on the little fence i thought would do a lot better.

It gets full sun but less water then the tripod, and i think the lack of water might have been the down fall... but still you can see little buds forming on it that may bloom. My tripod has had a better luck and has just began flowering today. I will take the time to collect seed for next year and I will post a pic when I start getting more blooms. My only advise is to get the best seed you can get. Positive On Dec 15, 2007, tropicsofohio from Hilliard, OH (Zone 6b) wrote: grows wild here. self seeds. its tells me when summer is really here. i love it! Positive On Apr 1, 2007, radiatorfan from Metairie, LA wrote: Planted seeds last oct. but was unable to find inoculant. Bought some earthworm castings and dug it in the trench...the vines are 8 feet tall and beautiful. Pick a couple of huge bunches a day. We had a very mild winter so they are doing well.

Neutral On Sep 13, 2006, IndoorGardner from Falls Church, VA (Zone 7a) wrote: My sweet pea is indoors here in VA. I grow her in my apartment. She is doing ok, but I think I under watered her and she began to shrivel. I am still working with her and praying she makes it. Hopefully she will bloom as beautiful as the pictures I see here. Positive On Oct 31, 2005, RalphV2 from Chula Vista, CA (Zone 8a) wrote: I've had very good luck with this plant, both with commercial seed packets and with seeds harvested from the plants. I have grown them in trays, then transplanted the seedlings, and I've direct sown into the ground. In any grouping, I always get several that form very thick vines and climb up to 6-8 ft, and many that that form much thinner, more delicate, vines that climb up to 5-6 feet. All produce large amounts of flowers, very fragrant. I give them a weak solution of general plant food about once a month.

Positive On Jun 25, 2005, Kameha from Kissimmee, FL (Zone 9b) wrote: We grow sweet peas here in Florida when the weather is cooler, from late fall through early spring. The scent of the flowers is probably my favorite scent of all time! Very frost hardy! If only there was some way we could hybridize the sugar snap or English pea with the sweet pea, to produce a plant with sweet smelling blossoms and edible non-toxic pods. Neutral On May 16, 2005, nevadagdn from Sparks, NV (Zone 7a) wrote: I haven't had much luck with sweet peas...yet. I haven't had the conditions they prefer. My rich, cool soil is in a shady part of the garden, and the sunny part of the garden has heavy clay soil and rocks. Positive On May 16, 2005, maggiemoo from Conroe, TX (Zone 9a) wrote: In TX this is considered a cool-season annual, which means we have to plant it in the fall to enjoy it just as winter breaks.

I tried it for the first time this past season, in two locations - a sunny to part shade area, and a full sun area. It grew in both locations, but was overwhelmingly better in the full sun, almost over-taking the two trellises I had it trained on. The blooms were beautiful, and the fragrance incredible! What a joy it was while I worked in the garden, getting it set for the summer, amid constant waves of the fragrance. We had a much extended spring this year, so they looked good through the end of April (longer than I'm told is usual, as they don't like hot days.) I will plant these again next year. (They are nice to cover the trellises while the summer vines have di ... read more ed back.) Negative On May 16, 2005, darylmitchell from Saskatoon, SK (Zone 3a) wrote: These vines do not like hot and windy sites. I had them in a container on my south-facing patio. They grew for a while but then dried out at the bottom and broke off from their roots... they died within days.

My parents have grown them successfully, but they had the benefit of a yard sheltered by tall trees. Positive On Jan 17, 2005, LilyLover_UT from Ogden, UT (Zone 5b) wrote: Here in zone 5, I sow sweet peas in late fall (early November). This allows the seeds to begin the germination process, but they don't put on any top growth until the following spring. So they get a jump start on the growing season, resulting in larger, earlier plants with more flowers (before the hot summer weather arrives). Seeds can also be sown in early spring, after soaking for 24 hours. By sowing in both spring and fall, I can extend the sweet pea season into late summer. Positive On Jan 13, 2004, Kachinagirl from Modesto, CA (Zone 8b) wrote: Ahh..my favorite flower! Hopflower, you are a BOUNTY of information for this plant! Butterflydust, I believe your problem may lay in where you are located.

As with any plant, we gardners have to adjust how we care for a given plant based on soil type, humidity, temperature,...etc. Hopflower spoke of fertilizing in the summer........my sweetpeas are long gone by then! Where I live (central CA)I plant my sweet peas in the fall against a south-facing wall or fence...they grow slowly through the winter to burst like mad in early spring (tons of flowers for Easter!) but as soon as it gets hot they are done (May-June). My Grandfather had an amazing 'secret' for growing his sweet peas that works wonderfully here.....dig a 24" deep x 8" wide (x as long as your space or trellis or support) tr ... read more ench where the plants are to be grown. Layer the trench to fill by alternating native soil amended with leaf mold and/or mulch, thin layer of manure, soil/mulch, manure, on and on until you reach 3" below the edge of the trench. Plant sprouted seeds and cover with soil/mulch mix (do not place sprouted seed on a manure layer!).

Cover with snail bait (I like the 'sawdust' type that also kills insects, great coverage....dead bodies everywhere!) Water. As the plants grow, fill in around the stem with amended soil mix much like you may do with tomatoes. I get buckets of flowers that, as Hopflower said, must be picked every to every other day. Too many flowers? No problem! I've 'trained' the neighbor kids....anytime they see milk cartons filled with flowers sitting on the picket fence.....they are to take them home to their Moms! Everybody is happy! Try contacting your local University Cooperative Extension Agent to find out more about growing sweet peas where you live Butterflydust. The Cooperative Extension Agents are incredibly helpful and knowledgable about growing local plants. Good luck this year...don't give up! Negative On Jan 12, 2004, ButterflyDust from Riverside, CA wrote: I have problems with growing them anywhere in my yard. I had them lightly tied to a trelis in full sun, partial shade, full shade. They did much better in full sun, but still developed a powdery grey fungus all over no matter how much care I took to not get them wet.

I love the plant and flowers so much, but I'm just not doing something right. Would like some much needed suggestions so I can give this plant another try. Positive On Dec 6, 2002, hopflower from Santa Rosa, CA (Zone 9a) wrote: I raise sweet peas almost exclusively. The seeds are indeed toxic, as is the whole plant if eaten in any quantity. The word lathyrus in part comes from the Greek for "excite", and there is a condition known as lathyrism, which causes nervous system excitement if they are ingested. This is helpful to know if you have small children around, who may confuse them with edible peas. They are a wonderful flower. They come in all sorts of colours ranging from white and cream to deepest purple; with pink, rose, orange, scarlet, blue, lavender and picotees in between. There are also some striped and variegated varieties. The only colours that are not available are yellow and a true, gentian type blue. Like a lot of flowers, their blues are somewhat tinged with violet or lavender. ... read more /> Sweet peas are easy to grow and should not be coddled.

They are actually a very tough plant if started correctly. They should be germinated at a temperature of about 65-70 degrees; either by soaking the seed for 24 hours beforehand, and then planting in sterile soil mix, or sprouting them in a shallow pie plate wrapped up in a wet cloth, or covered in plastic film. Alternately, you can also soak the seed and wrap them in a damp cloth and place in a Ziploc bag for about a week, then check to see they have sprouted. After that, they should be planted immediately; either in pots or in the garden bed. Do not use peat pots unless you are sowing in springtime; they will deteriorate through the winter. Sweet peas sown in plastic or terra cotta pots should be put outside as soon as they push through the soil. The introduction of sunlight and fresh air at this stage is a very important part of acclimatizing them and keeping them robust; thus getting a stronger plant. The seedlings can take a mild frost if started and hardened off soon enough. The only precaution is to use common sense in the case of a storm: either wind or snow; and remove them to safety if these are the case.

Keep the plants moist but not sopping wet, and shelter from strong wind. Pinching out the tips when about 4-6 inches high will help them to bush out, becoming more sturdy and allowing a good leader to grow on; should you decide to cordon them. Slug and snail bait is necessary: the snails will go after seedlings as soon as they appear. Take care not to let them get eaten. Pinching off the tendrils and the axial leaves will also help them to produce a larger flower, but then soft ties should be provided to support the vines as they develop. A minimum of one inch of water per week is recommended, unless the summer is particularly hot; they must not be allowed to dry out. Fertilizing is not necessary until after the first flowering; and then use only manure tea, or fish fertilizer of some sort such as one of the newer kelp-based products. Maxsea or Maxicrop are good ones. It is generally recommended to fertilize in the middle of the growing season; say July. Like pansies, sweet peas love being picked: the more you pick, the more you get! If you do not pick them, they will go to seed and not produce anymore flowers.

Be sure to harvest them at least every other day, bringing vase fulls of flowers into the house! Neutral On Aug 7, 2002, smiln32 from Oklahoma City, OK (Zone 7a) wrote: From the Successful Gardening book...."The sweet pea likes coolness, but needs some direct sunlight. Wind can damage the fragile tendrils. These plants do well in rich, loamy soils. They prefer a moist, but not wet environment. Do not over fertilize. It may need some pampering until it gets established." Fragrance in the garden Contact Garden fragrance! Late September through October is the ideal time to plant seeds of some old garden favorites grown especially for fragrance: Sweet peas (Lathyrus odorata)The warm days favor quick germination and get the seedlings off to a good start. Then these plants grow in cool weather, developing into vines (sweet peas) or branched annuals (stock) to flower in late winter and spring. Both may be available as seedlings at your local garden shop. But Sweet pea are fragile to transplant.

And while the bedding plant growers have some lovely, abundant-blooming varieties of dwarf Stock available, they simply don't grow the old-fashioned super-fragrant types of yore. So fragrance-seeking gardeners begin with seeds. Seed vendors have also been re-introducing heirloom varieties of Sweet peas, types that had been cherished for their fragrance but superceded by more colorful modern varieties. So now we can have the best of old and new. Soak Sweet pea seeds overnight to hasten germination. Then plant them in a bed where you have dug in lots of organic compost and a little starter fertilizer. If night temperatures are below 45F, you may wish to pre-germinate them indoors by spreading the seeds on a couple of layers of damp paper towels on a plate or jellyroll pan, covering with a couple more layers, and placing the pan in a warm spot. The top of your refrigerator works well. As soon as you see the radicle (root) emerging, carefully plant the seed in loose soil—either in the ground or in pots. Sweet peas and stock are winter annuals; that is, they grow and bloom in the winter, and then die when hot weather comes along.

There are many perennials with fragrant blossoms. Some we plant as bulbs, others from nursery starts. Bulbs with exceptional scent include: Paperwhite narcissus , which bloom here anytime from November through February Freesias , especially the old-fashioned white and yellow types, which bloom in March – April Oriental lilies, with spectacular, intoxicating blooms in summer. Among the many perennials, especially fragrant ones include: Pinks, especially Cottage and Clove pinks ( Dianthus plumariusand D. caryophyllus ) These carnation relatives have similar, spicy clove-like scent, and are very easy to grow in full sun. Long-lived, they bloom in late spring. Lavenders, including the familiar English varieties (Lavandula officinalis)and Lavandins, which are hybrids between different species of Lavandula. Actually low shrubs, these are usually grown with perennials. They prefer full sun and dry soil. Plants with fragrant foliage are useful along paths where the leaves can be brushed to release scent. Especially useful are Lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla),mints (Mentha species—watch out!

Spread freely!), scented geraniums (various Pelargoniumspecies, and Lemon thyme (Thymus x citriodora). Perhaps the simplest way to add garden fragrance is to select easy-to-grow shrubs and vines for your landscape which happen to have scented flowers. Citrus (Citrusand Fortunella varieties).The fruiting Citrus make excellent landscape shrubs or small trees, with colorful fruit in winter and blossoms in spring. But two types stand out for fragrance. Kumquats blossom heavily in spring, but often bloom again in summer. With attractive narrow, shiny, dark green leaves, the blooming sprigs are great in flower arrangements. Meyer lemon (actually a type of sour orange) also can bloom off and on at almost any time of year. Lilacs (Syringa varieties) . Lilacs need a cold winter to develop flower buds, and the familiar French hybrid lilac bushes from colder climates just barely get what they need to grow and bloom here. Every so often we have a warm winter, and the blooms donï¿½ï¿½ï¿½t open properly. But that's rare. Plant lilacs out in the open in full sun.

They can tolerate garden watering or drought, and are unfussy, blooming here in April – May. Mock orange. The common name applies to two plants. Pittosporum tobira is widely planted in California, one of our best evergreen landscape shrubs. Green and variegated forms are available, and it will grow in full sun or considerable shade. Flowers in May smell just like orange blossoms. Folks from 'back east' grow Philadelphus, deciduous shrubs that are somewhat rangier, which also have citrus-scented blooms in May. Roses. Many roses, of course, smell great if you walk right up and sniff the flowers. Fragrant Cloud, Chrysler Imperial, and most of the David Austin English roses are among my favorites for that. But some old-fashioned and species roses will scent the whole garden. A sentimental favorite of mine is Rosa moschata Nastarana , the Persian Musk rose introduced in the late 1800 and one of the top-rated old garden roses. It releases a fragrance in the early morning and evening hours that is somewhere between musk and honeysuckle. It blooms off and on from spring through fall.

Easy to grow but hard to find in the trade. Sweet Box (Sarcococca ruscifolia). One of the few shrubs that will grow in full shade. Ve-e-ry slow growing to 3 – 4 over many years. Can be pruned as a hedge, but looks especially nice when it is just lightly trimmed for shape. Shiny dark green leaves. The little tiny white flowers surprise you in January – February, and the aroma drifts far and wide; followed by red berries. Plant it under a bedroom window in a shady garden. Sweet olive (Osmanthus fragrans). This non-descript, olive-green shrub plods along at about 2 – 3 a year, growing upright into an oval shaped background plant. Then you're walking around the garden in late spring, and suddenly you smell a powerful fragrance reminiscent of oranges and gardenias. Following your nose, you finally see the tiny white blossoms of your Osmanthus. The volatile oils of these flowers drift freely through the garden. Pretty tough, but if it' in full western sun the foliage may burn so a little afternoon shade keeps the plant looking better. Wild lilac (Ceanothus species and varieties) .

A diverse genus of shrubs (some trees or ground covers), most with honey-scented blooms in mid-spring. For the dry landscape: easy to kill with too much water. Winter Daphne (Daphne odoraMarginata). How many of these have I killed?! With loss rates approaching 50% in wholesale production, and their requirement for perfect drainage in the garden, there must be some reason we keep planting Daphne. Once you've smelled the rich lemony, spicy flowers in mid-winter, you'll try, and try again. Daphne is very susceptible to crown and root-attacking fungus. Plant them high, keep them as dry as you can without stressing them, and hope for the best. Three vines merit special mention for outstanding fragrance. Jasmines, of course, have historical and nostalgic appeal. The Arabian jasmine, also known as Pikake (Jasminum sambac) is too tender to grow outside here in Sunset Zone 12. But Jasminum polyanthum is a vigorous vine with pink buds and pungent white flowers, blooming in late winter and early spring. It is vigorous, bordering on rampant.

Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) gives the fragrance (and then some) on a tough landscape plant which can be grown on a fence or arbor, or allowed to trail as a ground cover. Plant in sun for best bloom, but the plant will grow in considerable shade as well. Wisteria (Wisteria varieties) is a tough, drought-tolerant deciduous vine which produces a burst of sweet blossoms in trailing clusters in late winter. The most fragrant type is the Silky wisteria (Wisteria venusta). I consider the white form Alba to be the most elegant of all. [Note: The most common question we get about Wisteria is 'why isn't my plant blooming?' The most common reasons: Too much water or fertilizer—they bloom best when they're stressed. Too much shade—Japanese and silky wisterias need full sun; Chinese wisteria will bloom in some shade. Too young—reputable growers only sell grafted Wisteria which are mature. Wisteria grown from seed can take 7 – 10 years to begin flowering!] With some planning you can have sweet-scented blossoms in your garden year around.

Autumn is planting time in California! Warm soil, sunny days and cool nights get young plants off to a great start. Hardy's - Cottage Garden Plants - LATHYRUS PAPILIONACEAE This genus includes the familiar annual climbing sweet pea, but there are also many perennial species, both climbing and bush-forming. All produce the typical pea flower, but habit and flowering times vary. There are more than 100 annual and perennial species, native to Europe, North Africa and North and South America. Most varieties do best in a fertile, but well-drained soil in sun or part-shade. Climbing species either require support or can be left to climb through a densely planted border. RARE SWEET PEA | PRINCE OF ORANGE | New & Featured Flower Seeds Sweet Pea Prince Of Orange Sweet Pea Prince Of Orange Lathyrus odorataLatin name Sweet PeaCommon name Striking orange, always a rare colour, with a touch of clashing pink. (Very originally bred in the USA in 1928). Scarce.

How to Grow Sweet Pea from Seed Lathyrus Odoratus, or annual Sweet Peas, are a cottage garden and cutting flower classic combining beautifully soft, simple blooms with a captivating fragrance. Annual Sweet Peas are often blessed with a marvelous scent but last only one season, while Perennial Everlasting Sweet Peas return year after year but with considerably less fragrance than their annual relatives. Heritage and heirloom varieties, the really old-fashioned types, are often blessed with the most fragrance, although their flowers are usually much smaller than the blooms found on more modern hybrid varieties. Sweet peas can be sown anytime from September to March, but plants over-wintered in a cold-frame will be stronger when planted out the following Spring. Sweetpeas prefer semi-shade and will climb fences, netting or cane teepees. Sow your sweet peas seeds two seeds to a pot, pushing the seeds to a depth of about one inch. Cover the pots with newspaper or a polystyrene tile to keep moisture and warmth in and light out. Germination will normally take place within 14 to 21 days.

Once the seedlings appear, keep them in a cool greenhouse or cold-frame to promote root rather than stem growth before planting out in the Spring. Pinch out the growing tip when there are three or four pairs of leaves grown, this promotes encourage the formation of side shoots. Sweet peas climb by twining their tendrils around the support frame, but it is helpful to guide them onto netting, climbing structures or support using sweet pea support rings. Keep picking flowers throughout the season, flower production stops once seed pods are forming. The more that you cut your sweet peas flowers the longer you will be able to enjoy their fabulous perfume. Colour palette Lathyrus odoratus, Grandiflora 'Cupani' Seeds Description Details The 'original' Sweet Pea, Cupani was first cultivated by a Sicilian monk, Father Francis Cupani, who found this intensely scented wild sweet pea growing near his monastery in 1695. Francisco Cupani was charged with the care of the botanical garden located in Misilmeri, which is about 15 km or 9 miles from Palermo the capital of Sicily.

It is believed that the botanical garden he worked on was attached to the monastery, though it is not ascertainable if the sweet pea plant he recorded was actually grown in the garden or if it was found wild in the surrounding countryside. Francisco Cupani, recorded the sweet pea as being a new plant in Sicily. This is important as Cupani who was a member of the order of St. Francis in Sicily recorded it in writing, though some say, he may not have been a monk as it has been traditionally believed. Before Linnaeus simplified plant nomenclature, Francisco Cupani, published in the 1696 a written description of the sweet pea plant. He named the plant 'Lathyrus distoplatyphylos, hirsutus, mollis, magno et peramoeno, flare odoro'. In 1699, he sent some seeds to a teacher in England and so ‘Cupani’ was the first recorded Sweet Pea to be cultivated. The beautiful deep purple-blue & violet bi-coloured blooms are heavily aromatic and most of the stems bear around three to four flowers.

Though the blooms are smaller than modern hybrids ‘Cupani’ retains the original fabulous fragrance loved by Father Francis. No other sweet peas are this fragrant and it is to this day still sought after. Sowing: Sweet peas seeds can be sown indoors in late autumn to early winter into rootrainers or long thin pots. They can also be sown indoors in spring, March to April. Plant out in April to May. Sweet pea seeds can also be sown directly where they are to flower in spring. If you have a reliable source of John Innes seed compost, or for spring sowing John Innes No 1 potting compost, these will be eminently satisfactory for sweet peas. J.I. Nos 2 & 3 are too strong for sweet peas and should be avoided. Germination of sweet pea seed is often quicker and more uniform if the seeds are soaked in water for 24 hours prior to sowing. This also enables you to identify any seeds with hard coats, which fail to swell during this period. These should have the seed coat nicked with a small file to enable them to take up water. Flower production is usually around two to three months from planting out.

Sowing Indoors: Push two well spaced seeds about 2.5cm (1in) below the compost surface. When roots fill rootrainers, pot on two seedlings into a two litre pot. A temperature of 18 to 20°C (65 to 68°F) will give rapid, even germination. As soon as the seedlings have emerged, they need to be grown as cool, and with as much light, as possible. Pinch out the tips when plants have three or four pairs of leaves. Over-winter undercover in a light, cool place. Plant out - two plants to a vertical in a mild spell in March. Tie them in every week to encourage straight stems. Sowing Direct: Sweet peas can also be sown direct into the open ground where they are to flower. The best time for this is mid March to early April, depending on the weather and the locality. Sow 5 to 8cm (2 to 3in) apart, about 3 to 5cm (1 to 2in) deep. Thin the resulting plants to an average of 15 to 20cm (6 to 8in) apart.

Slugs and mice can be a real problem on a direct sown crop, so take suitable precautions before you sow. Sites for Sweet Peas: Choose an open site which gets plenty of direct sunlight, but which has some shelter from the worst winds. Avoid planting close to an established hedge or where there will be competition from tree roots. Watering: Young seedlings can be prone to disease if over watered, but once the crop is in full growth, a copious supply of water is needed. A well prepared site will pay dividends by having considerable reserves of available moisture. It is essential to encourage a strong root system if high quality flowers are to be achieved. Feeding: Balanced fertilisers are safest, particularly tomato feed. Never apply heavy dressings of fertiliser to weakly growing plants - invalids need gentle coaxing back to health. Foliar feeding can be useful for plants with root problems, but frequent sprays of very dilute fertiliser will be needed to have a significant effect. Harvesting: Flowering: Autumn sown in late May. Spring sown in early summer. Keep picking as often as you can.

Vase life: four to five days Nomenclature: The genus name Lathyrus is taken from the Greek lathyros, an old name for 'pea' The species name odorata means 'fragrant' or 'sweet-smelling'. Sweet peas are in the in the family Fabaceae, the legume family. This term 'Old-fashioned' is applied as a synonym for the 'Grandiflora' varieties, but it is also used at times to include the 'Cupani' variety and the very first varieties of sweet peas that were grown before introduction of the 'Grandiflora' line. Origin: Lathyrus odoratus, is believed to be native to the eastern Mediterranean region from Sicily east to Crete. Many places have been suggested as being the home of the original sweet pea stock, among these the Italian island of Sicily, the island of Malta, China and Sri Lanka may be mentioned. One of these places is believed to be the home of the wild sweet pea from which all the cultivated varieties have been produced. Though it is not known exactly in which of these places the sweet pea originated, one historical aspect concerning the sweet pea is agreed on by most people.

It is known that Francisco Cupani, recorded the sweet pea as being a new plant in Sicily way back in 1696. Grandiflora Sweet Peas: Grandiflora sweet peas represents the first major improvements in the sweet pea strain. The development of varieties with larger flowers and an aesthetically improved placement of the petals on the stem, with standards borne at a greater vertical angle and with the wings held more evenly made for much better display plants. Compared to the wild or original sweet pea varieties, the Grandifloras usually have clearer colours on the petals and tend to bear more flowers on the stem. The original sweet pea plants were selections derived from the first sweet pea introduced in Sicily and do not match up to the grandifloras in any of the characters desired by gardeners and floral enthusiasts. In comparison to the wild sweet pea, the Grandifloras are more fragrant. Grandifloras were developed over a period of time by different persons; the variety was mainly developed by Henry Eckford in Britain.

Henry Eckford (1823-1905), a nurseryman of Scottish descent, cross-bred and developed the sweet pea, turning it from a rather insignificant, if sweetly scented flower, into the floral sensation of the late Victorian era. Eckford was singularly responsible for bringing out a succession of Grandiflora sweet peas till the last years of the century, these varieties were called Grandiflora, because the flowers on them were noticeably larger than flowers usually seen on the original Cupani variety. His initial success and recognition came while serving as head gardener for the Earl of Radnor, raising new cultivars of pelargoniums and dahlias. In 1870 he went to work for one Dr. Sankey of Sandywell near Gloucester. A member of the Royal Horticultural Society, he was awarded a First Class Certificate (the top award) in 1882 for introducing the sweet pea cultivar 'Bronze Prince', marking the start of association with the flower. In 1888 he set up his development and trial fields for sweet peas in the Shropshire market town of Wem.

By 1901, he had introduced a total of 115 cultivars, out of total 264 cultivars grown at the time. Eckford was presented with the Royal Horticultural Society's Victoria Medal of Honour for his work. He died in 1906 but his work was continued, for a time at least, by his son John Eckford. More recently, the association between the sweet pea, the Eckfords and Wem has been highlighted again. In the late 1980s, the Sweet Pea Society of Wem started an annual Sweet Pea show and the town has again taken the flower to its heart. Many of the street signs now carry a sweet pea motif and an area of the town is known as Eckford Park. The Eckford Sweet Pea Society of Wem, named after Henry Eckford. is dedicated to the conservation and promotion of the Eckford varieties. In Victorian times, the town was known as "Wem, where the sweet peas grow". Val Good who has been involved in the The Eckford Sweet Pea Society of Wem since it was founded in 1988, has been recently been appointed MBE for services to gardening.

The Wem Sweet Pea Show is held in Wem, north Shropshire, each year in July. For details, send an s.a.e. to the Membership Secretary, Lyndale Nook Farm, Weston-under-Redcastle, Nr. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 5LP. Additional Information

Question: What is the familiar name of the garden flower lathyrus odorata?
Answer: Sweet Pea